MINSK, 18 August (BelTA) - Belarus is able to feed and clothe 30 million people, and if it tries harder, 40 million, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said in an interview with the Rossiya TV channel, BelTA has learned.
The interview touched on various kinds of prohibitive measures, sanctions and restrictions imposed on Belarus by its closest western neighbors, in particular Lithuania and Poland. Among the latest examples is the ban on the entry of Belarusian-registered cars from one side and the closure of checkpoints on the border from the other.
"They don't know what they're doing. They are madmen, real madmen. Well, what can we say about them? If there were responsible politicians, we could discuss their policies. But there are no responsible politicians there," the head of state said.
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, from an economic point of view, such restrictions provide even some advantages for Belarus because there will be less so-called economic tourism and residents of Belarus and Russia will stop taking money out of their countries.
"Belarus can clothe and feed 30 million people now, and if we try harder, even 40 million," the head of state stressed. “Therefore, why should we travel and buy EU goods in Lithuania? If they were smart and if the European Union has not lost its marbles, they would not do it. They would forbid Lithuania to do this, because this is an income of billions of dollars. They imposed sanctions and shot themselves not in the foot, but in the head."
As for the reduction in the number of checkpoints on the border with Poland, this decision does not bother Belarus and Russia, the president said. "The European Union and the United States imposed sanctions against us. We don't go there, we don't export there anything," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
"They don't know what they're doing. They are madmen, real madmen. Well, what can we say about them? If there were responsible politicians, we could discuss their policies. But there are no responsible politicians there," the head of state said.
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, from an economic point of view, such restrictions provide even some advantages for Belarus because there will be less so-called economic tourism and residents of Belarus and Russia will stop taking money out of their countries.
"Belarus can clothe and feed 30 million people now, and if we try harder, even 40 million," the head of state stressed. “Therefore, why should we travel and buy EU goods in Lithuania? If they were smart and if the European Union has not lost its marbles, they would not do it. They would forbid Lithuania to do this, because this is an income of billions of dollars. They imposed sanctions and shot themselves not in the foot, but in the head."
As for the reduction in the number of checkpoints on the border with Poland, this decision does not bother Belarus and Russia, the president said. "The European Union and the United States imposed sanctions against us. We don't go there, we don't export there anything," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
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